1970’s Abortion Legalized in U.S. Halie Selassie, Emperor of Ethiopia, Deposed Elvis Found Dead 70’s trends

The 1970s were a tumultuous time. In some ways, the decade was a continuation of the 1960s. Women, African Americans, Native Americans, gays and lesbians and other marginalized people continued their fight for equality, and many Americans joined the protest against the ongoing war in Vietnam. In other ways, however, the decade was a repudiation of the 1960s. A “New Right” mobilized in defence of political conservatism and traditional family roles, and the behaviour of President Richard Nixon undermined many people’s faith in the good intentions of the federal government. By the end of the decade, these divisions and disappointments had set a tone for public life that many would argue is still with us today. Urban-based African strikes drew attention to the fact that, despite the segregationist ambitions of apartheid, the South African economy depended on blacks living and working in supposedly white areas The Apartheid in the 1970’s

1970’s fashion Micro, Mini or Maxi 1970s Skirt Lengths By 1970 women chose who they wanted to be and if they felt like wearing a short mini skirt one day and a maxi dress, midi skirt or hot pants the next day - that's what they did. For eveningwear women often wore full length maxi dresses, evening trousers or glamorous halter neck cat suits. Some of the dresses oozed Motown glamour, others less so. Left - Two young women in their early twenties on holiday in the Canary Islands c1972. The short check flared skirt was very popular, as was the empire style of the diamond check pattern mini dress. Right - Halter neck cat suit pattern of Exotic and tropical prints were a reflection of designers gaining inspiration from foreign travel destinations. For evening in the early seventies, either straight or flared Empire line dresses with a sequined fabric bodice and exotic sleeves were the style for a dressy occasion. One frequently worn style was the Granny dress with a high neck. Sometimes the stand neck was pie-crust frilled, or lace trimmed. Often they were made from a floral print design in a warm brushed fabric or viscose rayon crepe which draped and gathered well into empire line styles. Right - Typical short and mini dresses worn at an office party in 1972/3. At the front a young girl wears a long floral granny dress that covers her knees. Another hugely successful evening style of the 1970s was the halter neck dress, either maxi or above knee. Left - Black halter neck dress pattern of At a disco, girls might don hot pants. In contrast to the reveal all mini, a woman would suddenly confound men by completely covering her legs and retort that mini dresses were an exploitation, rather than a liberation of women.

Music in the 70’s Funk music of the early 1970s turned the whole funk genre on its head - so much so that many people actually believe the very origins of funk music was during this time period. In reality, funk music has a much longer history, but it was indeed in the early 1970s that this previously relatively obscure genre started gaining mainstream attention. The funk music of the early 1970s not only changed funk music, but it also changed popular music as a whole. You can hear the influence of early 1970s funk music in many different genres of modern music, including hip hop, R&B and jazz. James Brown is the undisputed "Godfather of Funk." The "Hardest Working Man in Show Business" demonstrated the use of syncopation and scratching rhythm guitar on the influential hit Papa's Got a Brand New Bag. Over the years James continued to produce more rhythmically sophisticated Funk recordings, and he spread the gospel of Funk in his wild stage shows. In the 1970's, George Clinton and "Bootsy" Collins, a former member of James Brown's band, emerged as the leaders of the Parliament-Funkadelic conglomeration of bands. They brought Funk forward as a powerful force in popular music. Tear the Roof Off the Sucker (Give Up the Funk) and Flashlight brought Funk to the attention of mainstream audiences. Through most of the 1970's, Funk was rarely heard in discos.